Apparatus for treating hides.



No. 833,443. PATENTED 0GT.16, 1906.

W. COUPE. APPARATUS FOR TREATING HIDBS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZO. 1901.

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PATBNTED 001*. 16. 1906.v

W. COUPE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING HIDES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20v 1901.

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ETEDJ' STATES PATENT one-ion.

WIIJLIAM COUPE, OF SOUTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS APPARATUS FOR TREATING HIDES.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented oct; 16,1906.

tain new. and useful Apparatus for Treating Hides; and-I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection. with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full,.clear, andexact descriptionthereof.

The apparatus hereinafter described'is especially useful in connection with the process of tanning hides or skins, but is also adapted for use in connection with other. processes to which hides are subjected-as, for instance,- in connection withthe processofdepilation, drenching, &c.,

Itis wellknown that the process of tanning is materially quickened by-alternately immersing the hides in the tan liquor and-exposing them to the action of the atmosphere. The present apparatus is constructed to make use of this method, and to that endinvolves the employment of a rotary wheel within which the hides aresuspended, said whe'elbeingarranged to be revolved in a vatcontaining tan liquor, the arrangement being.

preferably such that about one-half of the diameter of the wheel will be immersed in the tan liquor. With this construction and arrangement if the wheel be revolved either continuously or. intermittently the hides suspended in the wheel will be alternately immersed in the tan liquor and withdrawn therefrom and exposed to the action of the atmosphere.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the wheelvatthat is, the vat in which the wheel revolves-may be supplied with fresh strong liquor. and the weak or spent liquor withdrawn therefrom.

A further. object of the invention is to provide means whereby the supply of fresh liquor to the wheel-vat may be automatically regulated or controlled.

To these ends the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts and devices hereinafter described, andset forth in the claims.

Referring to a the. drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a transverse section on the line a: acof Fig. .1, and Figs. 3 and .4 represent details.

Arepresents the wheel-lvat. B isa wheel. journaledin suitable bearings and arranged.

.to revolve within the vat A. Preferably the.

wheel is arranged so that'aboutone-half .of its diameter may be immersed in the tan:liquor contained in thevatA. The wheel #B is -pro. vided with suitable means whereby a series of. hides or portions of hides a a may be suspended therein. As'shown in the drawings, the wheel is-providedwith aseries of bars vb, arranged. around the periphery of the wheel, to each of which bars a hide maybe secured. The bars I) are supported in the frame of the wheel, so that they may be conveniently removed and replaced in position. As shown in the drawin 's, the wheel is a skeleton structure having t e arms 0 c, to the ends of which arms the ringsor rims d d are secured. The rings. are connected by a series of slats d". The ringd is provided. with a series of mortises e, .and the ring cl with a corresponding series ofslots e. The bars are cut away at eachv end to form the tongues or tenons f f as shown in Fig. 3,, from which figure it will be readily understood how the bars I) are removed. and replaced in position. Turn-buttons 9 may be employed to hold the bars in place. The

wheel B is provided with a worm-gear C, adapted to be engaged by a worm.D on the shaft E, supported in suitable hangers or bearings, said shaft beingprovided with a pulley h for driving the same. F is a tank orvat preferably arranged in an elevated position, from which liquor of suit:- able strength may be supplied to the wheel-. vat A, and. G is a tank orv vat. arranged to receive the weakened or spent liquorfrom the vat A. It is preferred, forreasons hereinafter. stated, to introduce thev strong liquor into the vat A- at or near the bottom of thevat and to draw off the spentliquorator near the top of the vat. As shown in the drawin s, therefore, the pipe i, which leads from tie supply-tankF, is led-into the vat'A near the bottom thereof, and the port. or opening y, whichleads from the vat A into the tank G, is locatednear the top of said vat. Connected with the inner end of the pipe 2' isa pipe if, located near the bottom of the vatA and extending crosswise thereof. Preferably the pipe i is closedat its ends and perforated. throughout its length, as shownin Fig. 2, whereby the liquor willbe injected into the. vat with more or less force through the orifices or perforations and will be introduced.

into the vat throughout the whole or a large part of the width thereof, thus causing the fresh liquor to be more or less mixed. with that already in the v at. By thus introducing the strong liquor into the vat near the bottom thereof it will also be more or less taken up and mixed with the liquor already in the vat by the revolution of the wheel and the hides attached thereto.

At the outset the vat A is filled with strong liquor nearly to the top or up to the level of the port or opening 3'. Then whenever a fur ther quantity of strong liquor is introduced through the pipes & i into the bottom of the vat the liquor at the top of the vat will flow out through the port or open ng j into the tank G. As the liquor loses its strength its specific gravity becomes less, and thus the weakest portion of the contents of the vat A rises to the top, and it is this weakened or spent liquor which flows over into the tank G. This weakened or spent liquor may be strengthened and rendered suitable for further use by adding fresh solution thereto. It is desirable, therefore, to preserve the liquor which flows into the tank G and to return it to the tank F. In the arrangement shown in the drawings means are provided for thus re turning the liquor from the tank G to the tank F, such means consisting of a line of pipe lc, leading from one tank to the other, a pump H being included in said line of pipe for the purpose of raising the liquor up into the elevated tank F. The pump H may be operated in any suitable manner and is shown in the drawings as driven by anelectric motor I through a belt Z.

The fresh solution may be added to the weakened or spent liquor to bring it up to the required strength either in the tank F or in the tank G, as may be preferred. In the arrangement shown in the drawings it is proposed to add the fresh solution in the tank G, said tank being shown as provided with a suitable stirrer or agitator J for thoroughly mixing the fresh solution with the weakened or spent liquor. This stirrer J may be revolved by any suitable means, as by the bevel-gears m m and shaft n, operated by a belt leading from a pulley on the shaft E.

The flow of the liquor from the tank F to the vat A may be regulated or controlled in any suitable way, as by means of a handvalve in the pipe i. It is preferred,- however, to regulate or control the introduction of liquor into the vat A automatically, and in the arrangement shown in the drawings means are provided for this purpose. The pipe 6, leads from the bottom of the tank F, and the entrance to said pipe is controlled by a valve 0, said valve being connected to the short arm of a lever 10, pivoted to the wall of the tank. The long arm of the lever 1) extends into the path of a pin g, projecting laterally from one of the arms 0 of the wheel B.

As the wheel B revolves the pin 9 comes in contact with the long arm of the lever p and depresses it, thereby raising the short arm of the lever and lifting the valve 0 from its seat, so as to open the entrance to the pipe i and permit the liquor to flow therethrough into the vat A. The parts are so constructed and arranged that the pin Q will remain in contact with the long arm of the lever and the valve 0 thus be held open for a suitable length of time as the wheel continues to revolve. Preferably the pin 9 is clamped in a slot 7", formed in the arm 0, whereby the radial positionof said pin may be adjusted. By thus adjusting the radial position of the pin the length'of time during which the pin will remain in contact with the long arm of the lever p, and thus the' length of time during which the valve 0 'will be held open and the quantity of liquor thus allowed to flow into the vat A, may be varied. A weight 8 may be attached to the short arm'of the lever p to return the lever to its normal position and to close thevalve when the pin 9 rides off the end of the lever.

-By the construction and arrangement of parts above described a continuous circuit is provided for the liquor, which, when permitted to do so, will flow from the tank F into the vat A, and thence overflow into the tank G, being led from the tank G to the pump H and there pumped back into the tank F. By providing for the periodic introduction of strong liquor into the wheel-vat and the withdrawal of the weakened or spent liquor therefrom the liquor in the vat, which is acting upon the hides, may be readily maintained at the desired strength and the action of the liquor onthe hides thus rendered more uniform and effective. By introducin the strong liquor at the bottom of the whee -vat and withdrawing the weakened or spent liquor at the top the strength of the liquor throughout the vat is rendered more uniform than it would otherwise be, and by constructing the apparatus so that the introduction of the strong liquor at the bottom of the vat will cause the overflow of the weakened liquor at the top of the vat the apparatus is practically self-regulating, the introduction of a given amount of strong liquor serving to displace a corresponding amount of weakened or spent liquor. By regulating the amount of strong liquor introduced, therefore, the amount of weakened liquor removed is likewise regulated and the strength of the liquor in the vat is easily regulated and determined. Moreover, by locating the port or opening 7' at or near the top of the wheelvat and substantially in line with the axis of the wheel the liquor in the vat is prevented from rising above-the desired level, and when the tank has been filled up to this level it will be automatically maintained at said level, the introduction of liquor at the bottom of the vat simply serving to cause a corrco top of the vat into the receiving-tank.

responding amount of liquor to flow from age Y the phrase top of the vat, as used in this connection in the specification and claims, is meant the top of the liquor therein when at the desired level, as shown in Fig. 2. The walls of the vat may of course extend any desired distance above this point.

When the means for automatically regulating and controlling the introduction of strong liquor into the vat is employed, the entire control of the liquor in traversing the circuit, including the regulation of the strength of the liquor in the wheel-vat, is automatic, except so far as it may be desirable to start or stop the pump, as occasion may arise.

As above stated, the apparatus above described while primarily designed for use in tanning hides is likewise adapted for the treatment of hides for other purposesas, for example, for depilating the hides or for drenching the hides, the liquor employed being of the proper character in each case.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a supply-tank for supplying liquor thereto and communicating with said vat at or near the bottom thereof, a receiving-tank having an open communication with said vat at the point at which it is desired to maintain the level of the liquor in said vat, and means for returning the liquor from said receiving-tank to said supply-tank.

2. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a supply-tank for supplying liquor thereto, a receiving-tank communicating with said vat, means for returning the liquonfrom said receiving-tank to said supply-tank, and means for agitating or stirring the liquor before its return to said vat.

3. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a wheel mounted torevolve in said vat, a tank for supplying liquor to said vat, and adjustable means for automatically controlling and regulating the supply of liquor to said vat.

4. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a wheel mounted to revolve in said vat, a tank for supplying liquor to said vat, and means governed by the wheel for controlling the supply of liquor to said vat.

5. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a wheel mounted to revolve in said vat, a tank for supplying liquor to said vat, a valve controlling the communication between said tank and vat, and means actuated by the wheel for operating said valve.

6. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a wheel mounted to revolve in said vat, a tank for supplying liquor to said vat and communicating with said vat at or near the bottom thereof, a receivingtank communicating with said vat at or near the top thereof, means for automatically controlling the supply of liquor to said vat, and means for returning the liquor from said receiving-tank to said supply-tank.

7. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a wheel mounted to revolve in said vat, and means for intermittently supplying liquor to said vat.

11 an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a wheel mounted to revolve in said vat, means for intermittently supplying liquor to said vat, and a receivingtank having an open communication with said vat at or near the top thereof.

9. In an apparatus for treating hides, the combination of a vat, a wheel mounted to revolve in said vat, a supply-tank, means for intermittently supplying liquor from said tank to said vat, and a receiving-tank having an open communication with said vat at or near the top thereof.

WILLIAM COUPE.

Witnesses:

W. H. THURSTON, J. H. THURsToN. 

